What’s your writing ritual?

I like to think it’s a hobby of mine to look up topics in regards to writer habits. After all, if I can find that secret something they do which helped lead to their success, I could find that success myself, right?

Well, no, because each writer is not just unique in storytelling, their writer’s Voice, style, and luck, you also find every writer finds their own method to find that genius of creativity.

I should test a few rituals, but generally I need;

A quiet room. This includes no pets, no kid, no husband, no phone ringing, no traffic, and no-anything else that can pull me from my creativity. This is accomplished through a shut door, headset, and preferring the evening hours where there is stillness and unlikelihood that anyone will call or show up at my house.

A taste of creativity. To help get into the mood, I generally read. Mostly I reread what I wrote previously to get back into the story and slip into the ‘feel’ of the story. Other times, I might read favorite books or stories I find online. Freewriting can also help get into a creative mindset.

Setting priority. Trust me when I say I’m a master at finding excuses to get out of work. I will surf the Net, read emails, check the weather- anything than get back into fiction writing if I’m not in the mood.

Rather than find motivation, I simply find resolve and do it anyway, forcing myself. Sometimes this actually work me into the creative mindset.

Favorite coffee in my favorite mug. My writer’s group bought me this mug that says “I’m a writer. Everything you say or do may end up in my novel”. I add my coffee, Hazelnut creamer, and feel complete and ready to move into my writing rituals.

I might try;

Lighting a candle

Meditating 5-10 minutes beforehand

Saying a prayer to my muse to help me along the way.

What tips can you offer? Do you have a writing ritual? Do you have items you use, activities you perform, even prayers you say before you start writing, or do you dive right in? Post in comments below.

For me, it’s my own office. I go in there whenever I get the urge. And I force myself to get the urge by forcing myself to write a scene that builds my story everyday. Before all of it though, there’s an understanding of story structure, for which I highly recommend Kal’s hero’s journey work at http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html